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Scrivens sharp in NHL debut as Leafs thump Blue Jackets 4-1

COLUMBUS, OHIO—There’s some things in hockey and sports in general that are much easier said than done.

The notion of being calm, especially in the moments before making a big-league debut, can render even the most talented athlete a bundle of nerves.

Toronto goalie Ben Scrivens makes a save against the Blue Jackets' Antoine Vermette during the third period Thursday night. (JAY LAPRETE / REUTERS)

Ben Scrivens made his Leafs and NHL debut here Thursday night and was none of that.

The 25-year-old goalie was, in fact, the picture of calm in the Leafs’ 4-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena.

“Just sleeping,” said Scrivens, when asked how he spent Thursday afternoon leading up to the game, especially since he only learned at the morning skate the he would be replacing Jonas Gustavsson in the Leaf nets.

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“I know my routine, I’m not a superstitious guy. . . . I took a short nap, I read a little, then I got ready and came to the game.”

In a win that was the Leafs’ second in as many nights, and put them in first place in the Eastern Conference for the time being, Scrivens certainly delivered from the cool cocoon he surrounded himself with earlier in the day.

The Leafs were outshot 39-18, but scored four unanswered goals to open things up, and dispose of a Jackets team that is shaky on the ice, and likely at the coaching level.

John-Michael Liles, with his first of the season, scored with 15 seconds remaining in the first period while Clarke MacArthur, with his second of the game, scored 50 seconds into the second period to seal this game and turn up the heat on the struggling Jackets.

Toronto, which also got a goal from Joey Crabb, his second in as many games since being recalled from the Marlies, buried four goals on 11 shots against struggling Columbus starter Steve Mason.

Scrivens had to be sharp and the victory came with a noticeable drop in performance.

“We don’t want to get negative or anything like that,” MacArthur said of the Leafs, who were to remain in first overall in the East if Pittsburgh lost in regulation in San Jose.

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“But we had to make more smart hockey plays there and we didn’t. We definitely have to play better Saturday when we play Boston.”

Scrivens certainly provided the goaltending the Leafs could depend on. He had a shot hit the post behind him early in the game, but then had at least five big saves, including one on sniper Rick Nash.

Leafs coach Ron Wilson popped the decision on Scrivens at the morning skate. While Gustavsson had performed well in five games in place of the injured James Reimer, the moment was right to hand Scrivens a chance, given the game the night before in New Jersey.

“When I came here (Thursday morning), I told Ben and I told the Monster (that) Ben would be playing.

“But I said don’t say anything, I didn’t want this circus (Leafs media throng) bothering the kid in his first game . . . he played well,” said Wilson, adding that Reimer is still not up to par with his conditioning, and will need more practice time before a decision can be made on his return to game action.

Scrivens kept up that calm demeanor after the game, and was actually kidding with the media, all curious over how he could maintain such élan when his first NHL start was essentially dropped on him without warning.

“Is my hair all right,” he said, laughing as he came before the cameras.

As for his pre-game read, Scrivens said he was thumbing through the book Scorecasting: The Hidden Influences Behind How Sports Are Played and Games Are Won, which he felt was “a sports version of Freakonomics.”

“It’s about loss aversion and the (thinking) that goes behind decisions in sports; a good read in my mind.”

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